‘The Walking Dead’ Season 3 Comic-to-TV Comparison: “Seed”

‘The Walking Dead’ season 3 shambles out its first entry with premiere episode “Seed,’ but how does it hold up to the comic book continuity?

After many months out on the road, Rick Grimes and the other survivors happen upon a prison facility that could sustain them long-term, but also poses them with the deadly task of clearing out the hundreds of walkers within first. So, what’s next for ‘The Walking Dead’ as the new season goes on?

As AMC's incarnation weaves in and out of storylines from the books and adds its own original characters and developments, we've compiled an in-depth guide for fans of the comic as well as AMC's The Walking Dead to enjoy! Check it all the comparisons we found and let us know your thoughts on ‘The Walking Dead’ season 3 premiere “Seed" in the comments below!

1. ON THE ROAD AGAIN…

AMC: Following the climactic events of ‘The Walking Dead’ season 2 finale “Beside the Dying Fire,” it seems that Rick Grimes and his merry band of survivors have continued to press their luck out on the road, some 8 months having passed from last season. Lori is visibly much more pregnant, while both Carl and Hershel have let their hair grow out on the move. The group continues to scavenge from house to house and town to town, charting their progress on a map and taking great care to avoid potential Walker herds.

THE COMICS: After leaving Hershel’s farm (which was never overrun, and in fact Glenn remained there to be with Maggie and the Greenes), the group spent little more than a few weeks scavenging before stumbling on the prison. And while Rick’s group was certainly smart, they were never extensively shown to plot the potential course of undead herds. Smart, really.

2. CARL, THE CHILD SOLDIER

AMC: Without a house to consistently disappear from, it seems Carl has become quite capable in the past 8 months, carrying his own weapon and maintaining watch duty with the trust, and respect of his father. We could maybe do without the hair, though.

THE COMICS: While Carl had been given a gun as far back as the campsite, he was never seen to be so trusted and proficient at the time the survivors found the prison. Along with the still-living Sophia, the books’ seemingly younger Carl still needed to be watched at most times.

3. PRISON ON THE HORIZON

AMC: Out hunting, Rick and Daryl are the first to discover the prison, which Daryl dismisses as Rick formulates a plan to make it their new home.

THE COMICS: Much like ‘The Walking Dead’ season 3 premiere, the survivors first laid eyes on the prison while breaking to scavenge for food, though in that case it was Andrea and a still-living Dale who first saw the facility on the horizon.

4. SECURING THE PRISON, PHASE ONE

AMC: The survivors first clean out a fenced-in path to the facility itself, allowing them to at least secure the field before settling down for the night. The next morning, Rick, Daryl, Glenn, Maggie and T-Dog form a phalanx to clear out the immediate area outside the cell blocks, attempting never to break rank.

THE COMICS: Securing the initial areas of the prison seemed to take far less effort in the books, as a group consisting of Rick, Tyreese and Andrea managed to clear most of the courtyard hand-to-hand, before an outpouring from inside the facility was put down in a steady hail of gunfire.

5. A MUCH DESERVED REST

AMC: Having secured at least the field, the survivors set up a camp free from the danger of stray walkers, while Hershel muses that he can use the land for farming. Beth even sings a jaunty tune to keep the group entertained. Isn’t that nice?

THE COMICS: Similarly, the group settled down for the night in one of the secure outside areas, prior to emptying out the inside of the prison facility. It wasn’t until a few days in that Rick had the idea to go back and retrieve Hershel and his family from the farm, in the hopes of using his expertise to plant crops at the prison.

6. CAROL AND DARYL! CARYL!

AMC: Though nothing seems explicitly clear about her intentions, Carol pays a visit to Daryl during his watch duty, and after a moment of Daryl rubbing her shoulders proposes that the two “screw around.” Given they both laugh it off, we can’t quite gleam from the exchange whether something has happened between them before, or will in the future, but it’s the most blatant Carol/Daryl shipping we’ve seen thus far.

THE COMICS: Obviously Daryl Dixon has no comic book counterpart (yet), though he does seem to fit the same role as Rick’s right hand man Tyreese, whom comic Carol was similarly involved with. But not for long…

7. RICK AND LORI’S MARITAL WOES

AMC: It would seem Rick has grown quite cold toward Lori in the months since killing Shane and taking control of the group, as while he does his best to protect and provide for everyone, especially his wife, he has little interest in talking things out with his wife. Given her affair and the way she pitted Shane and Rick against one another, we don’t blame him.

THE COMICS: Rick was never quite so harsh toward Lori in the books, even though he was on some level aware of her affair with Shane, and the likelihood he was the father of the baby. Granted, Rick wasn’t the one to kill Shane in the books, and it certainly wasn’t something Lori suggested he do, either.

8. MEET MICHONNE

AMC: While we saw a cloaked Michonne saving Andrea’s life at the end of season 2 finale “Beside the Dying Fire,” Danai Gurira’s official introduction as Michonne sees the sword-swinging zombie slayer stealthily infiltrating a pharmacy, and decapitating several walkers with ease as she picks up some asprin for her companion.

THE COMICS: In the books, Michonne was first introduced saving a still-living Otis’ life on his way back to the prison, similarly dispatching walkers with finesse and skill with her twin “pets” in tow.

9. SECURING THE PRISON, PHASE TWO

AMC: After clearing out the initial yards, Rick, Daryl, Glenn, Maggie and T-Dog first secure Cell Block C to house the other survivors while they explore the darker parts of the facility. The interior of the prison proves especially difficult to secure, with waves of zombies roaming the pitch-black halls, and a labyrinthine structure that forces Glenn to spray-paint arrows on the walls to navigate.

THE COMICS: Rick and Tyreese are the first to explore the interior of the prison, only facing a handful of walkers before stumbling upon the cafeteria. It would take several more trips to clear out other areas of the darkened prison, but the survivors were rarely so overwhelmed indoors as in AMC’s version.

10. CARL’S NEW BETH FRIEND

AMC: As the survivors settle into their new prison digs, it’s clear that the 13 year-old Carl harbors quite a crush on the girl (now) closest to his age, Hershel’s 17 year-old daughter Beth. Hershel subtly chases Carl off when it seems the boy might want to bunk with Beth, and the look he and his daughter share afterward suggests she knows of the infatuation.

THE COMICS: Not only does Beth have no comic counterpart, but throughout the books Carl has always been closest to the still-living Sophia. The two paraded as boyfriend and girlfriend in the early days of the prison, though in a harmless, “icky” sort of way.

11. LORI AND CAROL’S FRIENDSHIP

AMC: While Lori and Carol were never shown to be exceptionally close in the first two seasons, it seems the two women have developed quite a rapport, with Carol often helping tend to Lori’s pregnancy needs.

THE COMICS: As women of similar ages with children, Carol and Lori also bonded quite a bit in the books, especially by the time they arrived at the prison. You know, until Carol went crazy, slit her wrists, tried to marry both Rick and Lori, and willingly made herself zombie kibble. But that probably won’t happen on AMC, right? Right?

12. MICHONNE AND ANDREA, SO CUTE IT MAKES [HER] SICK

AMC: After rescuring Andrea from certain doom, Michonne and her new best friend have spent the better part of 8 months together surviving on the landscape, though it seems for the moment that Andrea has developed a deadly infection. As usual, Andrea resists being cared for or made a victim, and insists Michonne go on without her, before the two set off to find a new place to hole up.

THE COMICS: Comic Book Michonne and Andrea were never shown to be exceptionally close, and in fact didn’t get along in their initial encounters. Andrea once caught Michonne seemingly talking to herself, a fact the woman flatly denied before cursing her under her breath. Over time, the two would grow more friendly toward one another.

13. SUIT UP!

AMC: Having encountered several walkers outfitted in riot gear, Rick and the others have to work together to put down the undead guards, before salvaging their body armor for the venture inside the actual facility. Some of it was still…a little gooey.

THE COMICS: Glenn and Maggie were the first to discover the prison’s store of riot gear, having found it when they snuck off to…cuddle. Let’s go with cuddle. Glenn had much more fun with the gear in the books, wearing the full armor complete with helmet and visor, even when it wasn’t entirely necessary.

14. LURKERS!

AMC: Though the term is hasn’t yet been said aloud, the walker that bites Hershel displayed tendencies most similar to a “lurker,” zombies that remain perfectly inanimate until someone living comes close enough to be bitten.

THE COMICS: Much like AMC’s prison, the comic facility held plenty of “lurkers,” zombies who often waited in the dark or remained motionless until easy prey walked by. At least two survivors were bitten in this manor.

15. HERSHEL DOESN’T HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON

AMC: Searching the prison hallways for the separated Glenn and Maggie, Hershel steps too close to a seemingly motionless walker that suddenly springs to life, and bites his left ankle. After killing the walker, Rick and the others drag Hershel to the nearby cafeteria, before Rick makes the difficult decision to hack off Hershel’s leg to prevent the spread of infection.

THE COMICS: What a twist! In the books, it was Alan who was first bitten in this manner, with Rick again the one to decide hacking off the leg was the only way to survive. Alan ended up dying from the injury anyway, though mostly because the amputation wasn’t performed safely enough. Some time later, Dale too was bitten on the leg by a wayward lurker, though in his case the amputation was successful and Dale ended up living a great deal beyond the prison. Which path will AMC’s Hershel follow, we wonder?

16. GASP, THE INMATES ARE ALIVE!

AMC: Another twist! As Rick and the others tend to Hershel’s wounded leg in a seemingly abandoned cafeteria, five nervous figures pop up from behind a wall to observe the commotion, as Daryl trains his flashlight to see that all five figures are in fact inmate survivors of the prison! Though five men are seen, the episode’s credits only identify four: Big Tiny, Tomas, Andrew and Oscar.

THE COMICS: Under far less perilous circumstances, Rick and Tyreese burst into the prison’s cafeteria expecting to find a horde of walkers, only to be surprised by the blithe appearances of four living inmates offering them some of their food. From left to right, these inmates were Axel, Thomas, Andrew and Dexter, each of whom would come to have a lasting influence on the survivors.

Only Andrew seems to be a direct adaptation from the comics, minus his hair, though it might be worth noting that the comics’ Thomas and AMC’s Tomas share similar names, if little else. What do you think AMC’s prisoners have in store?

What did you think of The Walking Dead season 3 episode 1, 'Seed'? Did we miss anything else from the comics you might have caught? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check back next week for our in-depth comic-to-TV comparison of episode 2, 'Sick'!